A recent ruling by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has placed restrictions on advertising practices for cosmetic treatments involving hyaluronic acid injections to reshape the nose or chin. The decision, published Thursday, stems from a lawsuit filed by a consumer advocacy group against a medical practice that promoted such procedures on its website and Instagram account.
Previously, the Higher Regional Court of Hamm had sided with the consumer group, finding that the advertising violated the German Law on Medicinal Product Advertising. The medical practice subsequently filed a revisionary appeal, which the BGH has now rejected.
The court affirmed that the advertised treatment constitutes a surgical, plastic surgery procedure. As such, advertising is prohibited from utilizing before-and-after depictions illustrating a patient’s physical condition prior to and following the intervention. The ruling, dated July 31, 2025 (Case No. I ZR 170/24), clarifies the boundaries of permissible advertising for these cosmetic enhancements.
